Botox: How it works and the cosmetic issues it solves
Botox, which is derived from botulinum toxin, targets the muscles responsible for some of the deepest wrinkles on your face: forehead furrows, frown lines, and the crow’s feet that form at the corners of your eyes.
These wrinkles develop over the years as you use the same muscles to make facial expressions. When we inject Botox into these muscles, the solution safely stops the muscles from contracting. Within 24-48 hours, the muscles relax, and your wrinkles significantly diminish or, in some cases, entirely disappear.
You still look natural and can make all your normal facial expressions because we precisely target just a few muscles that cause your wrinkles.
Fillers: How they work and the cosmetic issues they treat
Dermal fillers target all the other wrinkles that form due to natural age-related changes in your skin, such as dehydration and loss of strength, elasticity, and the fat layer that gives your face volume. They also improve lost volume in your face and other parts of your body.
We use fillers to:
- Diminish nasolabial folds (laugh lines)
- Diminish marionette lines (wrinkles that run down from the corners of your mouth)
- Limit perioral wrinkles (lines above and around your lips)
- Reduce scars
- Lift your cheeks
- Restore cheek volume
- Plump-up and reshape lips
- Add volume to your temples
- Add volume to eyelids
- Enhance volume to the back of your hands
- Reshape and improve facial symmetry
Most dermal fillers contain hyaluronic acid combined with a smooth gel. Hyaluronic acid is a hydrating substance that’s naturally produced by your skin.
When we inject a dermal filler under the wrinkle or into the targeted area, the filler plumps up the space, immediately producing results.
We also offer fillers that contain microparticles of calcium and phosphate in a gel. The gel plumps up the area just like other fillers, while the microparticles stimulate collagen production, which produces longer-lasting results.
How long do Botox and fillers last?
Botox gradually wears off, and your body eventually absorbs fillers, so your results naturally fade away. Botox lasts up to four months, while fillers maintain their results for 6-18 months, depending on the area treated.
Do Botox and fillers have side effects?
Though we use fine needles and inject your treatment with a delicate touch, the injection sites for Botox and fillers may develop mild swelling, redness, bruising, tenderness, or itching. These side effects disappear within one week, with one exception, and that’s your lips. If you have a filler injected around your lips, you may have side effects for 14-18 days.
We consult with you before you decide on Botox or fillers, explaining all the potential side effects so you can make an informed choice.
To learn more about Botox or dermal fillers, call Dr. Goodnight in Ridgewood, New Jersey, or schedule an appointment online today.
*Individual results may vary.